TLC ALTERS PROBLEM AREA AT 15TH GREEN RE-CONTOURING COMPLETED.

Byline: Nathan Kurz Special to the Daily News

VALENCIA - Under pressure from players because of the rigidity of the region's newest golf course, the Tournament Players Club at Valencia made a minor alteration to one of its toughest holes.

Officials at the semi-public golf course, one that hopes to attract professional tournaments, said last week that a 200-square-foot patch of rough in front of the 15th green has been reshaped into a lay-up area and incorporated into the fairway.

The brush was removed two weeks ago, and until July 24 the area was deemed unplayable while the newly installed turf was taking hold. The club would give players extra balls and would award them a free drop if their balls landed in the soft area.

But a week ago, the spot was declared playable ground, though the fairway grass will not be fully established for another month, according to head golf professional Michael Messner.

Prior to the creation of the lay-up area, many novice golfers faced an almost impossible shot to an elevated green on the par-5 15th without any safer alternative. The small patch in front of the green previously was hard brush with hard-packed dirt.

An oak tree and an environmentally sensitive area each represented a serious hazard in the golfer's approach shot, but with the lay-up area, less powerful novices and women will be better positioned to play the hole.

``It was an issue of the playability of the golf course,'' marketing director Terrie Miller said. ``The dry brush was not conducive for our players. We re-contoured an area that was poorly shaped originally and grassed it with turf, as opposed to weeds.''

The change had to be approved by PGA Tour headquarters officials, chief architect Chris Gray and The Newhall Land and Farming Company, which paid for the re-contouring.

Miller said the TPC has no other plans for course alteration in the near future.

``You don't want to mess with the integrity of the course,'' she said. ``You don't change something this naturally incredible to satisfy some egos. We would need a professional perspective to really think about making another change.''

The course has come under fire from some golfers since it opened in June 2003, mostly for its several uphill tee shots and the existence of indigenous oak trees in the middle of a number of fairways.

``I don't like the blind tee shots,'' said Craig Stone, a Valencia resident who has played the course twice. ``You have no idea where the ball is going.''

But, as Miller maintained, once a golfer gains experience with the course, these potentially perilous shots become less nerve-racking.

``By the third time you've played TPC, you start to get it,'' she said. ``(Besides), we have only 27 bunkers and two water hazards. The oak trees are the same as bunkers and lakes.''

Added Messner: ``You have many different choices to make. It's a nice challenge.''

Meanwhile, efforts to bring a PGA Tour-affliated event to TPC at Valencia are continuing.

Miller said the TPC is looking into bringing a Nationwide Tour event - formerly called the Buy.com tour - to the course in November 2005, if it can find the right sponsor.

When the course was built, PGA officials said they expected to host professional tourneys there.

``Every TPC course is built with the necessary infrastructure to host an event on the PGA Tour,'' said Chris Smith, a PGA Tour spokesman when the course opened.

The SBC Classic, a Champions Tour event, is under contract at nearby Valencia Country Club through 2006.

Nathan Kurz, [phone]

nathan.kurz(at)dailynews.com